Checklist Basics for Starting Your Small Business

So
you have taken that first decisive step forwards. Before you get caught up in
the day to day running, here are some important things to check off your to do
list so you can be sure to put your new company’s best foot forwards.

First
Things First – Put It in Black & White

You
have the concept and your target market, now you need to put it in writing.
This means a business plan. Writing everything down can help you keep track of
your goals and will let you stay up to date with your progress. Choose the name
your company will trade under and what type of company it will be, the main
choices are private (limited) or publicly traded (plc) and sole trader (sole
proprietorship). At this stage you may want to consult an accountant to make
sure you have correctly registered your business and filled in all relevant
forms with the government, tax and other official offices.

The
Basics – Insure Yourself

Whether
you will be working from a home office or moving into new offices, one of the
most important things to remember in this day and age is to get prices for different
providers so that you can compare and calculate your outgoings and keep within
a set budget. Something that should also be top of your list is to get insurance for small business quotes. While it can be
tough to have so much money going out during the first stages of a new
business, it is imperative to set yourself up safely and securely for whatever
may come. One extremely important thing not to forget is professional indemnity insurance quotes. These will ensure your
customers and you are protected against financial losses due to a potentially simple
slip-up or misunderstanding when advising your clients. Make sure to understand
exactly what insurance needs your business will have; insurance brokers will be
happy to go over every need. For instance, if you will be using one vehicle to
start with for your company, you may need to consider van insurance which can provide cover
for up to four drivers on one policy. Make sure to go through all your options
and check out every different type of insurance policy to make sure your
business is covered from every angle.

Logistics
– Get Your Name Out There

Once
you have your finances and insurance sorted out, it is time to talk to your
customers. It is time to let the world know you have arrived. Whether you
outsource your website development or use the wealth of information available
online to build your own site, remember that, while it is very useful to have a
social media presence, it is more important not to stretch yourself too thin.
You want to show your expertise in your field clearly and make yourself a
useful tool that clients will trust. A facebook page is all well and good but,
will you be able to respond to every query and question across email, direct
message, twitter and telephone while still providing excellent customer
service? If you are not employing a social media or public relations staff, it is
an idea to keep things simple at first, while you find your feet and grow
slowly but surely, expanding over every medium available at your own pace.